NBA Draft: How does Jalen Johnson fit with the Warriors?

Getting him to set physical screens instead of the half-rubs he ran at Duke, crashing the rim hard, and finding soft spots in the defense are areas that he could be spectacular at. Similar college players like Obi Toppin and John Collins were dominant paint scorers and glass-crashers that learned to make the defense pay on the perimeter and with quick passes as their games developed.

Johnson has bad tendencies he falls into when focusing on creating on the ball, but the flashes when trying to work himself open off the ball are promising. Some coaxing in the right direction and proper commitment on Johnson’s part could make him the best scoring big in this draft.

Though Johnson hit 8 of 18 threes at Duke, his release is inconsistent. When working with fluid mechanics Johnson has a repeatable and clean stroke that should translate into a solid catch-and-shoot game. Jalen only hit 63% of his free throws but the freebie stroke should be a plus as he has a strong full-body release.

I’m not completely sold on him as an offensive dynamo due to the inconsistent shooting mechanics off the dribble and passing in unsettled situations. Johnson is a fantastic passer with his ability to read high above the defense, but he’s not a slick enough handler to make many passes on the move. His ability to dime up the entire floor from the high post will certainly be an asset at the NBA level.